Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters- Inquiry 1

Essay:

Just Pretty Words to Say

“But now I know that rose trees never grow in New York City”, what was Elton John thinking when writing this because of course you can grow a rose tree in New York city, what does he mean? Any knowledge or understanding of a text can be acquired through close attention to detail, thorough analysis, and the application of previous knowledge.  Often authors choose to portray a theme or tell a story by roundabout means therefore confusing the reader on what the central idea or overarching purpose is. There is a hidden meaning in virtually every lyric, poem, and story disguised as something else only to be found through the close reading and analysis of the words and progression. “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” by Elton John is one of these kind of pieces because his metaphorical approach to writing these lyrics are by no means straightforward which is why it is an effective choice to investigate. Elton John’s purpose for the piece is to get across the message that a lot of people in this world, background aside, often get caught up in the hustle of life and forget the basics that allow us all to connect on a personal level and just be “human”. Through a thorough analysis and paying attention to detail it will soon be made apparent that this was the theme and overarching message he had in mind when writing these lyrics. By using New York to figuratively embody the message he is able to get his point across to readers in an interesting and effective manner.

 Elton, the author of these song lyrics, is the one that seems to be the voice speaking throughout which puts more power and meaning behind the words. This is true because it is as if it is a narrative story rather than a regurgitation of someone else’s or simple fact; it becomes more personal and touches the reader on a more personal level. Most of the phrases are abstract but still comprehendible with the exception of the reference to Spanish Harlem in line two. As a reader, knowing what he meant when saying “Spanish Harlem” before reading helped me comprehend the stanza and set a stage for the rest of the song. Spanish Harlem is a song by the great Ben E. King (Spanish Harlem) that is depicting the reference Elton makes to rose trees. In this work King personifies a rose as a woman to whom he is in love with. In Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, he bases the first stanza around the idea of blooming rose trees representing relationships or budding friendships in his world. This visual is used by John to exemplify the fact that healthy and growing relationships, generally speaking, is in short supply in New York City because of its inhabitant’s disposition for life. Using this reference in the lyrics clearly solidifies the supposed meaning because it describes the isolation and lack of relation between people in Elton’s story.

              He uses some repeated phrases at the end of each verse which are there to emphasize their importance such as “I thank the lord for...” These lines, usually ending in gratitude for the people in his life, are put at the end of each stanza to ensure attention from the reader and to constitute a sort of consistency and flow to the piece. By thanking what sounds like rare or specific people in his life, he leads us back to the idea that “rose bushes do not readily grow” in life and those that blossom are worth holding onto. In addition to this, the chorus (verse that starts with Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters) and title use strange references to represent various types of people whether they are stoic and cold like the “Mona Lisa” or wild and unpredictable like the “mad hatter”. He then goes on to say that too many people are not realizing what is around them and need to stop and look at what they have instead of “running people through” as stated in line six. Elton John then goes on to represent the greed and obsession wealth that many New Yorkers seem to have a problem with by saying sons of bankers or lawyers. Interestingly enough he uses the reference “sons” rather than the bankers or lawyers themselves to personify the idea of the “silver spoon” and the lack of appreciation for hard work or talent. Also in the chorus the lines “Turn around and say good morning to the night…For they don’t know if it’s dark outside or light” do a marvelous job in describing how people are not only unaware of their surrounding but also don’t know what they are missing. This lyrical work is scattered with various hints and contextual examples that sustain its readability as well as holds the attention of the reader or more importantly listener. After he decides in the fourth stanza that going your own way, against the grain is a viable solution to happiness. Elton re-touches back on the concept of rose trees. The line “My own seeds shall be sown, in New York city” explains that no matter where you go, if you are willing to put forth the effort to make your own joy or try to build relationships that it will all work out in the end.

            Analyzing and picking apart works of lyric or poem is almost necessary in order for one to completely know what the author or artist is trying to convey. Elton John was able to effectively get across his point while still creating a thought-provoking as wells as interesting piece for the public audience. His use of New York City as a metaphor to share his message with the reader or listener was ingenious because it was easy to follow and offered a plethora of options for Elton to convey different themes and ideas. He overall does an excellent job composing this masterpiece of a song. I now realize that each person has a little Mona Lisa and Mad Hatter inside them and that finding a path to a perfect balance between the two is the only way to truly say good morning to the sun.  

Writers Reflection:

I chose the song “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” by Elton John for numerous reasons. It has been one of my favorite lyrical songs for a long time and until now did not realize what he really meant in many of the lines and stanzas. It was of reasonable length and also fit the criteria for the assignment while holding my interest. Overall, this was a thought-provoking and applicable piece of work to analyze for this paper. The essay itself was not hard to write however the pre-work was. It was challenging to pick apart the lyrics and convey on paper what my thoughts and inferences were about their meaning.  I reworked parts of my essay where I noticed the support was thin and I made claims without backing them up. I did this because as a reader without the poem or background knowledge it is difficult to follow what I am describing without quotes, examples, and explanations. I worked on being able to get my thoughts down on paper and my ability to effectively analyze a text/ come up with an explanation for what the author meant. If I rewrote this essay I would primarily write the same thing however I would have tried to organize the paragraphs in a way that flows a little better and claims a bundle of similar things that segway into one another. I learned that I should start actually listening to song lyrics rather than just mindlessly listening to them and singing the words that I hear. There are many songs that have great insight and meaning behind their lyrics but the message is never received because those who are listening are not truly comprehending. This applies to not only me but music listeners around the globe.