A SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF REFERENTIAL AND CONTEXTUAL MEANING IN THE SONG ‘COUNT ON ME’ BY BRUNO MARS

Abstract

This research discusses semantic analysis in the song lyrics “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars. The study focuses on two types of meaning, namely referential meaning and contextual meaning found in the lyrics of the song. The objectives of this study are to identify the referential meanings and to analyze the contextual meanings contained in the song lyrics. This research applied a descriptive qualitative method because the data were analyzed in the form of words, phrases, and sentences rather than numerical data. The source of the data was the lyrics of the song “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars. The researcher collected the data through documentation technique by listening to the song, reading the lyrics repeatedly, identifying the expressions containing referential and contextual meanings, and classifying the data based on the types of meaning. The data were analyzed using semantic theories proposed by several linguists such as Leech, Lyons, Saeed, and Kreidler. The findings of the study show that the song contains both referential and contextual meanings. Referential meaning was found in words such as “sea,” “light,” “friends,” “song,” “dark,” “world,” and “shoulder,” which directly refer to real objects or concepts in everyday life. Meanwhile, contextual meaning was found to be more dominant because many expressions contain symbolic and emotional meanings related to friendship, loyalty, trust, and emotional support. Expressions such as “You can count on me” and “I’ll be the light to guide you” cannot be interpreted literally because their meanings depend on the context of the song. Based on the findings, the researcher concludes that semantic analysis helps listeners understand both literal and implied meanings in song lyrics and reveals the emotional and moral messages conveyed in the song.