LOPEZ, FRANS RAFF J.

SEMIFINALS ( LIT 1)
BS. CRIMINOLOGY 3B DECEMBER 10, 2021

ACTIVITY 1: SONG ANALYSIS

Song: SANDRA by BARRY MANILOW

History Of The Song and The Relation of The singer to It

The song “Sandra”, was written by Enoch Anderson and sung by Barry Manilow. Based
on my research the Enoch was about to sleep and suddenly an idea came up to his mind that
there was a girl who need to tell her story. Enoch named the song “Sandra” unconsciously he
didn’t intend it to write to tell someone’s life but it just suddenly pop out of his mind. If we look
for the significance of Barry’s life to the song, we might say there is a little co-relation. Barry
before being a singer he has a wife, who he call a “perfect wife”, but even though he thought
of her that way he still left her because he wants to pursue his dreams. As we read and hear the
song there is a line that goes “Oh there might have been time to be me , For myself, for myself ,
There's so many things that she wishes, She don't even know what she's missin' , And that's how
she knows that she missed”,. The line for me can be interpreted as there’s something that the
woman to do or pursue but she is thinking twice because she love her husband and kids. Just like
Barry although she love his wife but because he wishes for something and he want to get the goal
he wants he left her wife. It is a contrast to the line but we can compare it for they both wanted
something and they got the feeling that there is a missing piece to their life.

Universal Theme
A woman chained by love, and wanted to break free.
Oh there might have been time to be me 
For myself, for myself 
There's so many things that she wishes 
She don't even know what she's missin' 
And that's how she knows that she missed
The woman in the song as I interpret the lines she wanted to break free from the responsibility
she got into. Although she love her family there’s a feeling inside her that she wanted to get
away and do the things he used to do back then.

Literary Criticism
Reader-Response
 Upon reading the piece different interpretation came into my mind while
listening and reading the lyric. I might say that the song doesn’t have much rhyme considering
the things I like in a song or in a lyric poetry. The song will let you feel relax and make you
image the words. it is basically a life of a mother who I might say struggling on what she feels.
To my opinion before we get into something that we aren’t sure we can handle we must think
twice first and must have an idea what are the possibilities and responsibilities we are going to
have on our shoulders.

Feminism

A woman who has selfless love for herself, a woman who devote his life to her husband
and kids, a woman who wanted to break free and feel the things she deserve. A break from the
depressant she is feeling, to know what she want and be able to do it. The song tells this
interpretation in many angles as we read it. A mother’s love is great more than anything. Giving
her time and effort less to himself, hardship of the decision she made when getting into the
relationship not considering that he might not do the things she mostly do when she was young
and free from responsibility. I say think first and consider all the options, possibilities and the
things you might not ever do again when getting into a serious relationship which involve the
rest of your life
 Sandra – Barry Manilow
She's a great little housewife 
Though sometimes she talks like a fool  Oh they used to hold hands at the movies 
But she helps at the store in the holiday rush  Now it's seldom if ever they go 
And she picks up the kids after school  Once you've paid for the sitter and parkin'
And she puts down the phone when her the car 
husband comes home  There's no money left for the show 
And she changes from mother to wife  She was doing the dishes 
'Til she feels the words hanging between When a glass fell and broke on the tile 
them  And she cut her wrist (quite by mistake) 
And she hangs by her words to her life  It was real touch and go for a while 

She says I swear I love my husband, I love She says Oh God I love my husband and I
my kids  love my kids 
I wanted to be like my mother  You know I wanted to be like my, my
But if I hadn't done it as soon as I did  mother 
Oh there might have been time to be me  But if I hadn't done it as soon as I did 
For myself, for myself  Oh there might have been time to be me 
There's so many things that she wishes  For myself, for myself 
She don't even know what she's missin'  There's so many things that she wishes 
And that's how she knows that she missed  She don't even know what she's missin' 
And that's how she knows that she missed

She's a sweetheart, except when she's

moody 
It's hard to get through to her then 
Depressed for a while when the youngest
was born 
Oh but that happens now and again 
She might take a drink with the housework 
Or when Michael's kept late at the shop 
A Martini or two before dinner 
But she always knows when to stop 

She says I swear I love my husband and I

love my kids 
You know I wanted to be like my mother 
But if I hadn't done it as soon as I did 
Oh there might have been time to be me 
For myself, for myself 
There's so many things that she wishes 
She don't even know what she's missin' 
And that's how she knows that she missed 
.