1. As seen in “Blister in the Sun” by The Violent
Femmes.
2. Blister in the Sun was written by Gordon Gano
from the Wisconsin folk-punk band Violent
Femmes.
It first appeared on their debut album, Violent
Femmes, in 1982.
3. This song has been used in a number of films
including:
Grosse Point Blank
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The Benchwarmers
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Adventureland
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Rocket Science
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4. The lyrics of Blister in the Sun make extensive
use of the rhetorical technique of repetition.
Repetition is where a word or sequence of
words is repeated throughout a text.
5. It is common for the chorus of a pop song to
appear two or more times in the course of the
song.
The chorus of this song, which begins “let me
go on...” appears in an identical form three
times.
6. Within the chorus, the words “let me go on”
on are repeated.
Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun
Let me go on
big hands I know you’re the one
7. It is less common in pop songs for a whole
verse to be repeated.
That makes this song unusual.
The first verse, which opens with “when I’m
walking...”, appears unchanged four times in
the song.
The second verse, which open with “body and
beats...”, appears unchanged twice in the
song.
8. The word “out” is used at the end of the third
and sixth lines of the first verse.
And I’m so strung out
I’m high as a kite
I just might
Stop to check you out
9. Another technique used in these lyrics in
rhyme.
Rhyme is when the sound at the end of words
or phrases sounds the same.
Rhyme is found in both the chorus and both
verses.
10. “Sun” rhymes with “one”.
Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun
Let me go on
big hands I know you’re the one
11. “Kite” rhymes with “might”.
I’m high as a kite
I just might
Stop to check you out
12. “Beats” rhymes with “sheets”.
“Why” rhymes with “cry”.
“Girlfriend” rhymes with “end”.
Body and beats
I stain my sheets
I don’t even know why
My girlfriend she’s at the end
She is starting to cry
13. The final technique used in this song is
simile.
Simile is where one thing is compared to
another.
“Let me go on
Like a blister in the sun”
14.
15. When I’m out walking
I strut my stuff
And I’m so strung out
I’m high as a kite
I just might
Stop to check you out
16. Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun
Let me go on
Big hands, I know you’re the one
17. Body and beats
I stain my sheets
I don’t even know why
My girlfriend, she’s at the end
She is starting to cry
18. Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun
Let me go on
Big hands, I know you’re the one
19. When I’m out walking
I strut my stuff
And I’m so strung out
I’m high as a kite
I just might
Stop to check you out
20. When I’m out walking
I strut my stuff
And I’m so strung out
I’m high as a kite
I just might
Stop to check you out
21. Body and beats
I stain my sheets
I don’t even know why
My girlfriend, she’s at the end
She is starting to cry
22. When I’m out walking
I strut my stuff
And I’m so strung out
I’m high as a kite
I just might
Stop to check you out
23. Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun
Let me go on
Big hands, I know you’re the one
24. In the popular song Blister in the Sun we see
examples of two rhetorical techniques.
Repetition is used extensively, within the
chorus and of the chorus.
Rhyme is used extensively in the chorus and
in both verses.