The Timeless Whirlwind Emotion Of Air Supply’s Collection: A Musical Discourse Analysis
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Abstract
This study critically examined the stylistic devices, thematic elements, and audience interpretations in Air Supply’s Making Love… The Very Best of Air Supply album, employing a qualitative research design. The corpus comprised twelve (12) songs analyzed through Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, supplemented by I. R. Galperin’s stylistic device theory and Raney’s Affective Disposition Theory. Interviews with eleven (11) purposively selected Airheads provided insights into listener reception. The analysis revealed 86 stylistic devices, with metaphor and repetition emerging as the most frequent, alongside personification, simile, imagery, anaphora, hyperbole, parallelism, symbolism, and antithesis. The lyrics conveyed recurring themes of trust, the transformative power of love, the need for intimacy, the desolation of lost relationships, and the emotional impact of past relationship. Audience interpretations reflected emotional connections, including family remembrance, emotional connection, nostalgia, coping mechanisms, and increased positivity. Beyond Air Supply’s repertoire, this study contributes to broader scholarship on how musical discourse integrates literary expression, thematic resonance, and affective audience engagement. The findings may inform discourse studies, cultural research, and applications of music analysis in education and media studies.
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