Live Like You Were Dying Song Analysis

“Live Like You Were Dying” Carpe Diem, a phrase we have heard a million times, but what does this mean, and how does it represent the American dream? Carpe Diem means, “Seize the day”. This phrase embodies the American Dream, which is do whatever you can to have your best life. This is exactly what the message is in Tim McGraw’s hit song, “Live Like You Were Dying”. This song is also in the country genre which is a completely American genre. This song is reflective upon how McGraw has lived his life upon receiving the news of his father’s death. After this occurred he changed his views on life and he started “seizing the day” afterwards. He discusses topics like family values and some American symbolism which are a part of the American dream. This song also embodies all three forms of rhetoric, Ethos Logos and Pathos. The Ethos comes from the message of the song. The Pathos comes from the context of the song. The Logos comes from the reason for the music.
Pathos is the, “Elements that are designed to appeal to the audience’s emotion” (Hirschberg, 291) The Pathos of …show more content…
The Ethos of the song comes from the message and values preached throughout. He discusses religion and the fact that living life to the fullest is the best way to live, when we don’t know how much time we have left. He references the words of his father in the chorus and throughout the song. His father was the whole reason for writing this song but quoting him adds credibility because he was in fact a man who was dying and told McGraw what he did with the rest of the life after he found out. This employs ethos by establishing credibility by quoting the words of the man the song is about. He also establishes credibility by This also applies to the American Dream because he, himself is American who lived out his