The Song Remains the Same… or Not? A Pragmatic Approach to the Lyrics of Rock Music

Abstract

This paper explores how the lyrics of popular rock music associate with change as it is imprinted in language. More specifically, it aims to investigate the lyrics from a pragmatic perspective and to discern a possible fluctuation of certain pragmatic features (deixis, politeness strategies and, to some extent, speech acts) through time. Subsequently, it examines whether there is a connection between this fluctuation and ordinary language use. The research involves a preliminary questionnaire, and the use of a concordances program, which is employed for the processing of the lyrics of 225 songs.