A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF DENOTATIVE AND CONNOTATIVE MEANINGS IN LANA DEL REY'S "YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL"

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the denotative and connotative meanings contained in the lyrics of "Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Rey. Song lyrics, like poetry, are a form of literary work rich in layered meanings that go beyond their literal definitions. This makes them a highly relevant object for semantic analysis. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach with content analysis technique, focusing on identifying words and phrases in the lyrics that carry both denotative and connotative meanings. The object of this study is the full lyrics of "Young and Beautiful," which was written by Lana Del Rey and Rick Nowels and released in 2013 as part of the soundtrack for the film The Great Gatsby. The theoretical framework used is based on Geoffrey Leech's classification of meaning, particularly conceptual (denotative) meaning and connotative meaning, as well as supporting theories from Hurford, Heasley, and Smith (2007) in Semantics: A Coursebook. The results of this study show that the lyrics contain numerous words and phrases with significant denotative meanings that serve as the literal foundation of the song, while at the same time carrying deep connotative meanings related to themes of love, fear of aging, existential longing, and the human desire for unconditional affection. Words such as young, beautiful, soul, diamonds, and sun are found to carry particularly rich connotative layers. This study concludes that Lana Del Rey uses language strategically to create emotional depth through the interplay of denotative and connotative meaning.