Pulchra Lingua: A Journal of Language Study.
Literature, & Linguistics, 4.
, 2025 https://doi.
org/10.
58989/plj.
Semantic Exploration of Emotional Contrast in AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! Nerin Sry Rahayua & Dimas Adikab aEnglish Literature Department.
Universitas Terbuka.
Indonesia bVocational College.
Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta.
Indonesia
ABSTRACT
This research aims to examines emotional contradictions in Wham!Aos AuLast ChristmasAy through semantic analysis and conceptual metaphors.
Using a qualitative descriptive method, six respondents without formal music education provided emotional perceptions of the song.
The lyrics, centered on loss and betrayal, employ metaphors like AuI gave you my heartAy to convey trust and vulnerability.
contrast, the upbeat melody fosters a positive atmosphere, enhancing the emotional complexity for listeners.
Findings highlight how metaphors help conceptualize abstract emotions, while the melody emphasizes emotional contrasts.
This interplay between lyrics and melody transforms AuLast ChristmasAy into a reflective artistic piece, offering deeper insights into emotional expression and contributing to the study of music-emotion relationships.
ABSTRAK
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis kontradiksi emosional dalam lagu AuLast ChristmasAy oleh Wham! melalui pendekatan analisis semantik dan metafora Dengan metode deskriptif kualitatif, enam responden tanpa latar belakang pendidikan formal di bidang musik memberikan persepsi emosional terhadap lagu ini.
Lirik yang mengangkat tema kehilangan dan pengkhianatan menggunakan metafora seperti AuI gave you my heartAy untuk menggambarkan kepercayaan dan kerentanan emosional.
Sebaliknya, melodi yang ceria menciptakan suasana positif, memperkuat kompleksitas emosional bagi Temuan menunjukkan bahwa metafora membantu memahami emosi abstrak, sementara melodi menekankan kontras emosional.
Interaksi antara lirik dan melodi ini menjadikan AuLast ChristmasAy lebih dari sekadar lagu pop, melainkan karya seni reflektif yang memberikan wawasan tentang ekspresi emosional serta berkontribusi pada studi hubungan antara musik dan emosi.
Contact
KEYWORDS
Emotion.
Song.
Lyrics.
Metaphor.
Semantics.
KATAKUNCI
Emosi.
Lagu.
Lirik.
Metafora.
Semantik.
How to cite:
Nerin Sry Rahayu nerinmoxin@gmail.
English Literature.
Universitas Terbuka Indonesia Rahayua.
Nerin Sry.
, & Adika.
Dimas.
Semantic Exploration of Emotional Contrast in AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham!.
Pulchra Lingua: A Journal of Language Study.
Literature, & Linguistics, 4.
, https://doi.
org/10.
58989/plj.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.
0 International License.
52 | Rahayu & Adika.
Semantic Exploration of Emotional Contrast in AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! Introduction Songs are a unique and influential means of communication in everyday life.
Communication can occur through various mediums, not just direct conversation.
One effective form of communication is through song.
Songs allow individuals to express emotions, ideas, and messages in a more profound and artistic way.
Through lyrics and melodies, songs are able to convey messages that may be difficult to express directly.
Through songs, one can convey feelings, thoughts, and information in a powerful and emotional way.
Songs can be a container for various emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anger, and hope, so they can touch the listener deeply (Mawaddah & Rahmat.
Melody and lyrics are two important elements that can build emotional attachment for the listener, soft notes to bring a calm impression or a dynamic rhythm to ignite the spirit.
Meanwhile, lyrics play a role in conveying a deeper meaning, allowing the listener to feel and understand the story or message that the songwriter wants to convey.
Lyrics are sentences contained in songs and are able to touch the hearts of listeners through the meaning contained in the words (E.
Yuliana, 2.
Not all lyrics and melodies in a song are always in line in conveying an emotional message, as seen in the song AuLast ChristmasAy released by the duo Wham! .
according to Official UK Singles Chart .
The song has become one of the iconic songs of the holiday season and is often played during Christmas.
In the lyric of the song there is a story of someone experiencing heartbreak and disappointment in a relationship.
Although the theme is about loss and sadness, the song is wrapped in a cheerful melody that is typical of the Christmas The results of research by Mori and Iwanaga in the journal Barradas & Sakka .
state the effect of a combination of sad lyrics and happy-sounding music on the perception of emotions and the experience of pleasure.
Participants .
ith no background in music understandin.
listened to happysounding music with sad lyrics in a foreign language, read translations of sad lyrics, or listened to happy music while reading translations of the lyrics.
As a result, sad lyrics were still perceived as sad, but when combined with happy music, this combination produced pleasant feelings.
This shows that music has the ability to present complex layers of emotions, where the mood created by the melody can be different from the message conveyed by the lyrics.
To understand a song we not only know the lyrics but must understand the meaning of the lyrical phrases.
In a semantic context, the relationship between lyrics and melody in a song becomes increasingly interesting to According to the Oxford dictionary semantics is related to the meaning between words and sentences.
Semantic content of the lyrics was more influential on mood than the melodic content of the lyrics (Colbert-White et al.
, 2.
53 | Rahayu & Adika.
Semantic Exploration of Emotional Contrast in AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! Semantics explores how meaning is made, whether through context, sentence structure, or personal or cultural experience.
In the context of communication, semantics focuses on the way words and symbols trigger certain responses in the listener or reader, allowing the message to be conveyed effectively.
In the lyrics of AuLast ChristmasAy there are several words and phrases that have meanings that can be interpreted differently if analyzed from the point of view of lexical and grammatical For example, in the sentence AuLast Christmas.
I gave you my heart,Ay there is a lexical ambiguity in the word Auheart.
Ay Literally, the word refers to a physical organ, but in the song, "heartAy also symbolizes feelings, love, and trust given to another person.
Misunderstanding can arise when listeners only take the literal meaning without realizing that the lyrics are talking about emotional sacrifice and heartbreak.
Many people misunderstand the songAos intentions, thinking of it as a song that simply describes the joy of Christmas, when in fact the lyrics revolve around the theme of loss and regret in Previously, there have been several studies that used emotional semantic analysis.
First, a research by Mawaddah & Rahmat .
entitled AuSemantic Analysis Of Meaning In The Lyrics Of The Song AoLife Too ShortAo By AespaAy.
They focused on the types of meanings that arise, namely conceptual and idiom meanings, as well as the authorAos emotions contained in the lyrics of the Aespa song.
Second, there was a research entitled AuSemantic Analysis in The Lyrics Of ColdplayAos SongAy conducted by E.
Yuliana .
This research also used semantic analysis theory, but focused on lexical and contextual meanings in analyzing ColdplayAos song lyrics.
Third.
Adika & Budiarsana .
discussed about semantic and utilization of figurative language in the song lyrics of Au21 GunsAy by Green Day.
For the semantic analysis, they found that the majority of lyrics within the song Au21 GunsAy contained implicit and profound meanings related to the physical and psychological impacts of war, including the destruction of homes and the loss of soldiersAo lives.
In addition, there was a research by Barradas & Sakka .
(Barradas & Sakka, 2.
entitled AuWhen Words Matter: A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Lyrics and Their Relationship to Musical Emotions.
Ay Although using different theories, this research still had a relationship with the meaning of lyrics in songs.
They examined the emotional aspect of the lyricsAo influence on listenersAo emotions, involving subjects from different backgrounds and using instrumental music sources and original versions.
Therefore, this research fulfills the gap that previous researchers have not explored yet.
to explore how the contrast between the sad meaning in the lyrics and the cheerful melody affects listenersAo perception of the song Last Christmas.
This research aims to provide music enthusiasts with a deeper understanding of the songwriterAos intended message, specifically by examining how emotions, including themes of loss, are conveyed through an uplifting melody.
By focusing on the contrast 54 | Rahayu & Adika.
Semantic Exploration of Emotional Contrast in AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! between sorrowful lyrics and cheerful melodies, this research seeks to illustrate how music evokes complex emotional responses that shape listenersAo perceptions and enhance their overall experience.
By analyzing these elements, the research aspires to deepen awareness of the nuanced meanings embedded in songs, encourage a greater appreciation for musical culture, and foster opportunities for thoughtful reflection on musical compositions.
Such an approach is intended to demonstrate the profound ways in which lyrics and melodies interact to influence and elevate the emotional engagement of listeners with musical works.
Method This study employs a descriptive qualitative design to explore the emotional impact of the song AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! through an in-depth examination of listenersAo Drawing on SamsuAos perspective as cited in Syahrizal & Jailani .
, the research seeks to develop a comprehensive understanding of social phenomena by analyzing contextual and individualized emotional responses to musical expression.
The population consists of adolescents and young adults, with six participants selected through purposive sampling.
This strategy intentionally recruits individuals who meet specific criteria relevant to the research objectives.
In this study, participants without formal music education were chosen to ensure more natural and unfiltered emotional reactions, minimizing technical bias that might arise from professional musical training, as supported by Lenaini's .
sampling approach.
Data collection integrated three techniques: in-depth interviews, direct observation, and document analysis.
Interviews included 10Ae15 semi-structured questions designed to probe participantsAo emotional perceptions.
Observations were conducted in natural settings to capture authentic reactions.
The analytical framework is grounded in conceptual metaphor theory developed by Lakoff & Johnson .
, which views metaphors as cognitive structures shaping perception.
The study focuses on ontological, structural, and orientational metaphors.
Data analysis followed the model of Miles's et al.
, involving data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing.
Lyrics and listener responses were analyzed separately using open, axial, and selective coding to identify metaphorical patterns and emotional conceptualizations, producing an interdisciplinary understanding of musical Results and Discussion Conceptual Metaphor Theory by Lakoff and Johnson in the Context of AuLast Christmas The song AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! presents deep semantic complexity through the 55 | Rahayu & Adika.
Semantic Exploration of Emotional Contrast in AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! use of sophisticated conceptual metaphors.
The theory of metaphor developed by Lakoff & Johnson .
in journal Pleyer et al.
, provides a rich analytical framework to explore how lyrical language creates complex constructions of emotional In the lyrical context of AuI gave you my heartAy, ontological metaphors transform the abstract concept of love into a concrete entity that can be given, betrayed and transferred.
Maasen & Weingart .
explains that this kind of metaphor allows the listener to understand emotional experiences through representations that can be physically touched and experienced.
The heart is not simply understood as a biological organ, but a symbolization of trust, vulnerability, and deep emotional investment.
The narrative structure of the song builds a structural metaphor that positions love as an emotional journey.
The phrase AuLast Christmas.
I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it awayAy creates a narrative of loss and betrayal.
Semino .
identifies that structural metaphors like this allow the abstract experience of love to be transformed into a story that has stages, climaxes and resolutions.
The orientational metaphor in this song is seen in the emotional displacement between the past and the The lyrics AuThis year, to save me from tears.
I'll give it to someone specialAy illustrate the metaphorical movement from a negative emotional space to a hopeful Cameron .
explains that orientational metaphors do not simply provide geographical direction, but map an individual's psychological journey.
Respondents revealed that the lyrics AuI gave you my heartAy were perceived as a complex symbol of love and trust.
The majority interpreted AuheartAy as not just a physical organ, but a metaphorical representation of an overall emotional investment.
The concept of Augiving my heartAy is understood as an act of giving total trust, with the implication of vulnerability and the risk of rejection.
The phrase AuBut the very next day you gave it awayAy is interpreted as a metaphor for betrayal.
Respondents described feelings of being AudumpedAy and AudumpedAy, indicating how the metaphor frames the emotional experience in terms of transaction and loss.
AuOnce bitten and twice shyAy was perceived as a metaphor of self-defense.
Respondents associated it with personal experiences of post-rejection caution, showing how the metaphor functions as a psychological mechanism to protect oneself from potential emotional wounds.
The lyrics AuA crowded room, friends with tired eyesAy present complex spatial and temporal metaphors.
Respondents interpreted it as a metaphorical representation of loneliness in a crowd, where physical proximity does not guarantee emotional This in-depth analysis shows how Wham! uses metaphor not just as a linguistic device, but as a cognitive mechanism to bridge abstract and complex emotional experiences.
The song AuLast ChristmasAy is thus not just a musical composition, but a linguistic artifact rich in the construction of metaphorical meaning.
56 | Rahayu & Adika.
Semantic Exploration of Emotional Contrast in AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! Dao .
asserts that metaphors in popular music operate on a level far beyond mere language games, but rather become a primary medium for exploring and communicating the most intimate and universal human experiences.
In conclusion.
AuLast ChristmasAy demonstrates the power of metaphor in transmitting emotional complexity through simple yet profound language.
Each metaphor in the song serves as a window to understanding the dynamics of love, betrayal, hope, and recovery.
The Emotional Contrast Between the Melancholic Lyrics and the Cheerful Melody of Last Christmas Shape the ListenersAo Perception and Emotional Experience The song AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! is a musical complexity that shows the depth of emotional expression through the intrinsic interaction between melody and lyrics.
The interdisciplinary approach in studying this musical work allows in-depth exploration of how semantic construction and musical structure are able to shape the listener's emotional experience.
Musical metaphors are key in unraveling the emotional complexity of the song.
According to Schiavio et al.
in AuMusic Matters: A Philosophy of Music EducationAy, metaphors in music are not just linguistic representations, but cognitive mechanisms that allow listeners to transform abstract experiences into personal meaning constructions (Edwards, 2.
The phrase AuI gave you my heartAy in the song AuLast ChristmasAy is not just a literal expression, but a complex symbolization of the gift of trust, emotional vulnerability, and the risks of love.
Contemporary musicological studies, as described by Thomas .
in AuListening for Emotions: Musical Interpretation and Affective SciencesAy, shows that the contrast between upbeat melodies and melancholic lyrics creates an intersectional space for emotional experience.
This presents a psychological mechanism where the listener does not simply receive the musical narrative, but actively interprets and interprets the emotional experience represented (Thomas, 2.
The transcripts of the interviews conducted reveal the depth of musical interpretation.
Respondents explored the meaning of the lyrics AuI gave you my heartAy as a complex representation of love, trust and emotional experience.
They understood the phrase to be not just a simple metaphorical expression, but a deep narrative of vulnerability and betrayal.
The concept of Ausoul of iceAy in the song presents a visual metaphor of the coldness of human relationships after betrayal.
According to Bogunovic et al.
research in the journal AuEmotion in MusicAy, this kind of metaphor creates a cognitive bridge between abstract emotional experiences and concrete representations that listeners can understand (Bogunovic et al.
, 2.
Interestingly, the phrase AuOnce bitten and twice shyAy presents a universal psychological defense mechanism.
Thompson et al.
in AuResilience and Emotional ProcessingAy explain that this is a natural human 57 | Rahayu & Adika.
Semantic Exploration of Emotional Contrast in AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! coping strategy in the face of traumatic experiences in interpersonal relationships.
The temporal context of the song, set during the Christmas season, adds to the emotional Christmas as a reflective and nostalgic moment provides an additional dimension to the musical narrative.
According to Setjiawan et al.
research in AuMusic and Emotional RegulationAy, such reflective moments facilitate the process of reinterpreting personal experiences through the musical medium (Setjiawan et al.
Fundamentally.
AuLast ChristmasAy represents the human emotional journey in processing experiences of loss, betrayal, and recovery.
The song does not simply present a personal narrative, but provides a space for listeners to reflect on their own The musical construction that combines cheerful melodies with melancholic lyrics creates a unique aesthetic experience.
This is in line with Schiavio et al.
view in AuMusical Emotions RevisitedAy that the musical experience goes beyond a mere combination of sounds, but is a complex process in which emotions are formed, experienced, and interpreted.
In conclusion.
AuLast ChristmasAy is not just a simple pop song, but a complex musical work that challenges the conventional boundaries of emotional expression.
Through metaphor, emotional contrast, and sophisticated musical construction, the song presents an aesthetic space where personal experiences can be reinterpreted, reflected upon, and understood.
Conclusion This research reveals the emotional complexity in the song AuLast ChristmasAy by Wham! through semantic analysis and conceptual metaphor.
The lyrics of emotional loss and betrayal contrast with the cheerful melody typical of the Christmas atmosphere, creating a complex emotional experience for the listener.
Conceptual metaphors such as AuI gave you my heartAy and AuOnce bitten and twice shyAy symbolize trust, vulnerability, and psychological defense mechanisms after trauma.
This study highlights how music can be a medium for conveying layered emotional messages, combining linguistic, psychological and musical elements to create deep and reflective meanings.
The song is not only a musical composition, but also a linguistic artifact that expands the understanding of the relationship between lyrics, melody and emotional experience.
References