Of all the things underrated in the modern world, the 70s music must take the first place. Long-forgotten and considered genuinely shallow by most of the adepts of the present-day pop culture, it still has that undeniable sweetness and naivety that makes it stand out of the range of pop music subgenres.
Despite the music of the 70s being considerably homogenous, which makes practically all the songs sound like siblings, there is still the charm of simplicity and light-heartedness in each of them, which makes the experience of plunging into the world of the 70s pop rock unforgettable. One of the most characteristic songs of the era, “Undercover Angel” by Alan O’Day is a perfect specimen to take a closer look at.
The most peculiar thing about the song is that it is packed with all sorts of literary devices and, therefore, is more of a puzzle for the audience to solve, which makes it twice as interesting to listen to. To start with, there is an obvious irony in the song expressed in different ways here and there.
The first and the most obvious instance of irony in the song is its title. Indeed, the word “undercover” is supposed to go with the word “agent,” yet the author evidently sings about the relationships with a woman who would not give in to his charms, thus, making a mix between an angel and an undercover agent.
As for the metaphors, the song also has a couple of explicit ones, “undercover angel” among them. The phrase “give up my heart for you” (Faith E.M) can also be considered a metaphor for falling in love with the woman and trusting her completely. Finally, the phrase “midnight fantasy” (Faith E.M) must refer to the woman which the lead character of the song is obsessed with, which makes this phrase a metaphor as well. Weirdly enough, the image of an undercover angel must have been inspired by a dream as well, since O’Day never married.
For an even more dramatic effect, the “one-hit wonder” (“Undercover Angel – Alan O’Day”) added some personification into the lyrics as well. Blending his fantasy with reality, he refers to the woman he loves as “a dream that made sweet love to me” (Faith E.M); personifying his dream, O’Day uses the later as a metaphor for the woman in the song.
For those who might be wondering why not developing a character relating to a real woman whom O’Day met and loved, it is worth mentioning that O’Day was to enter a contest for the Warner Bros. with this song, which meant that the images in the song were supposed to be generic.
O’Day’s song is packed with symbolism. For instance, the image of an angel is the symbol of purity which must be the key feature of the female character in O’Day’s song, relating it to Dixieland music, “especially the blues” (Krangle), which is quite understandable, since O’Day was born in the very heart of California As for the use of simile, there is no obvious indication of them in the song.
However, taking a closer look at the first lines of the song, one can suggest that “wonder is your night light” and “magic is your dream” (Faith E.M) can be interpreted as a sort of simile. Indeed, even though the given sentences miss the preposition “as,” it can still be considered that the author compares wonder to the night light and magic to a dream.
The meaning of the song is rather obscure. O’Day sings about how lonesome he is when he suddenly realizes that a wonder in the shape of a beautiful woman appears in front of him; the image is, probably, inspired by the women O’Day knew (O’Day, “Personal Thoughts and Pics”). After a delightful yet short storm of emotions that seizes both of the characters, the woman leaves the man, making him sad. O’Day may be telling about how short love can last and what emptiness it leaves when vanishing into thin air.
Therefore, the song incorporates rather easy lyrics, the beat both to dance to and to listen to on short summer nights, and the idea behind the song that makes the composition a treasure trove for all those who listen to it close enough.
Although it cannot be considered the classics to remember to the end of times, this song is definitely a gift from the era when rock and pop genres could be mixed into a catchy and at the same time rather deep song. With the help of a few literary devices, the song manages to conceal a lot of hints which add a specific flair to the lyrics; the latter comprised with the melody, produces a unique piece of art.
Works Cited
Krangle, Jodi. A Muse’s Interview with Songwriter, Alan O’Day. The Muse’s Muse, n.d. Web.
O’Day, Alan. Alan O’Day. Utopia Artists, n.d. Web.
O’Day, Alan. Personal Thoughts & Pics. Alan O’Day, n.d.. Web.
Seida, Linda. Alan O’Day. Biography. All Music, 2012. Web.
Undercover Angel Lyrics. eLyrics, 2002. Web.
Undercover Angel – Alan O’Day. Top One Hit Wonders, 2010. Web.