by Bryant Nix

Created on: October 01, 2008

Cory's "A Voice for the Lonely" demonstrates the impact music has on his life. An announcement of Roy Orbison's death, singer of "Pretty Woman", on the radio ignites his memories from childhood when he would use music therapeutically. Music helps often to get through the voids, obligations, and loneliness-the realities of life. Cory expresses, "Music can block out silence, on dark scary roads and in moments of loneliness" (Sparks by Donna Barnard- Essay, Cory P-27). Cory is not alone. Everyone listens to music and feels emotion, the singer and-or writer create songs derived from their own feelings, influencing the listener in what I believe is one of the most powerful ways of communication.

Why is it so easy for people to remember the words to a song or the melody of a song, when, they can't even remember a conversation they had twenty minutes ago? Sure, they may not have cared for the conversation, but for more reasons than not the song represents-to the listener: a resolution of an issue going on in their life. Cory mentions desperate times caused by a break up with his girlfriend when he meets a friend named Jon who also broke up with his girlfriend. The two of them who only hung out for a short time together, would listen to "Pretty Woman" religiously. Cory imagines (Sparks by Donna Barnard- Essay, Cory P-25), "That opening handful of a heavy guitar notes (a love sick teenager's equivalent of Beethoven's fifth) carries us into a world of possibility, a world where a moment's fancy could generate love, where losers could be winners just by wishing for success". Although in the quote, Cory mentions that his girlfriend in the story dumps him, you can tell he still had feelings for her.

"Pretty Woman" is a song about a guy who is courting this beautiful woman. He does not get a response until the end; when she walks to him. That's it. It doesn't say they live happily- ever-after or that she even likes him back for that matter. The listener's thoughts take the moment and run with it. Here is Cory's explanation of the song: The pretty woman walks on by, and another failure has occurred-but suddenly, the downward sweep of the wheel is reversed as the women turns to walk back and there is nothing in the world but fulfillment of one's dreams. By listening to this song Corey fantasizes he really didn't break up with his girlfriend. That is why he likes the song so much. He feels loved. As he puts himself in the singer's place, he's got the girl. That's the song's

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