Madeline Fletcher

English Composition II

Heather Johnson-Taylor

6/25/20

Dancing on My Own

The original song “Dancing on My Own” by Robyn and the cover by Calum Scott

provide two different perspectives on loving someone and watching them love someone else. In

Robyn’s version, she is the main character at a loud party watching the guys she likes dance with

another girl. On the Other hand, Calum Scott takes a man’s perspective and has a different

setting where you see the song in a different way. Even though both covers of "Dancing on My

Own" share the same lyrics, they differ in their point of view, visual effects, and expression of

the song. Robyn's version is more upbeat and from a woman's perspective, while Calum Scott's

cover has a more somber tone and is from the perspective of a male.

In the Original song, Robyn is seen at a club. She takes the role of the main character and

is seen longing for the man that she likes to love her, which is the main claim the artist is trying

to portray. Instead, we see him fall in love with someone else. Though the lyrics are extremely

sad, the setting portrayed the opposite. There are bright colorful lights and many people dancing.

The audio is also very upbeat and has a pop and techno energy to the song. Robyn also uses the

appeal of pathos, which is emotion, in her song and music video. This can be seen through the

lyrics in the song, such as when she sings “I'm right over here, why can't you see me”. This

expresses the sadness of how it feels to have someone else not love you back. Another specific

emotion this song appeals to would be empathy, because many people have been in this situation
before, so they know how it feels. At the end we see Robyn embrace her loneliness and dance by

herself on the dancefloor. I feel as if this shows her overcoming her sadness, being confident in

who she is, and finally moving on. The artist does not specifically say the intended audience for

the song, but it is suggested that it is for people, especially women, of all ages, races, class, and

religions, who have gone through the pain of heartbreak.

Calum Scott first performed his cover of “Dancing on My Own” on “Britain’s Got

Talent” in 2015, and it instantly became a huge hit. In his version of the song, the music video

shows a crowd of people facing a bright light. Scott is the main character and is seen singing in

the crowd, but no one notices he is there. The main claim the artist is trying to portray through

this story is the sadness of watching one’s love interest want someone else, which Scott does in

the music video. As a viewer, you can feel the pain and sadness in his voice when he sings the

lyrics. The main claim could be seen through the setting and mood of the video. There is very

dim lighting and the people are only wearing the color white. There is a sad and gloomy tone as

well, which makes the video extremely emotional. While Scott takes the male perspective in this

song, he also takes the perspective of someone who does not feel seen or heard. The beat of the

song is also slowed down and piano is added to the back, allowing the viewers to really listen to

the lyrics. Calum Scott uses the emotion of pathos throughout the song. When he sings, “The

lights come on, the music dies, but you don't see me standing here” the viewers can feel the hurt

of him feeling neglected and alone. The audience, though not directly stated, is anyone,

especially men, who have gone through heartbreak and who feels unwanted and alone.
 These two versions of the same song have many similarities and differences. Both artists

use the same lyrics and also use the emotional appeal of logos. This song expresses many

emotions, such as empathy and sadness. In Robyn’s version, the emotion of empowerment is

shown at the end when she moves on, unlike Scott’s version where he is left sad and alone. Both

versions also share similar audiences, but both appeal to different sexes as they take different

perspectives on the situation. Robyn takes a more upbeat approach to the song, while Calum

Scott makes a cover that is more depressing and emotional. Their settings in their videos are also

very different, as Robyn’s version takes place in a club and Scott’s takes place in a plain white

room. They also differ in their perspectives, as Robyn takes the perspective of a female and

Calum Scott takes the perspective of a male. Even though their perspectives are extremely

different, heartbreak is similar in both parties. These two versions of the song show how it can

bring both sadness and the ability to move on towards something better.
 Works Cited:

CalumScottVEVO. “Calum Scott - Dancing on My Own.” YouTube, uploaded by Calum Scott,

15 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=q31tGyBJhRY.

RobynVEVO. “Robyn - Dancing on My Own (Official Video).” YouTube, uploaded by Robyn,

28 May 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcNo07Xp8aQ.