Broken Rules, Perfect Tunes: How Pop Songs Break Grammar Rules to Connect

5. Justin Timberlake - "What Goes Around... Comes Around"

When you cheated, girl, my heart bleeded, girl

In the line "When you cheated, girl, my heart bleeded, girl," the word "bleeded" isn't actually correct. The right past tense of bleed is "bled." But it seems like "bleeded" was chosen just to keep the rhyme and flow of the song. So, it should really say, "When you cheated, girl, my heart bled, girl."

 

The grammatical mistakes in these examples aren't just random; they serve a purpose. Informal language captures how people really talk daily, which helps listeners connect with the lyrics. Plus, some of these mistakes keep the rhyme and rhythm to create a certain mood, highlighting the musicality of the lyrics rather than sticking to strict grammar rules.

Grammatical slip-ups in song lyrics might annoy language enthusiasts. But, breaking these rules can make the song more relatable and help the songwriters to boost their creativity. By bending the rules, artists can connect with their audience in ways that sticking strictly to grammar wouldn't allow. Music is all about expressing feelings and building connections, not just about following the rules. Sometimes, it's those rule-breaking moments that make songs truly memorable.